Do As He Says, Not As He Does

For the past several weeks, my opponent, Kevin McCasky, has been talking in candidate forums and debates about how hard he is working going door-to-door, and about how he is going to crack down on illegal immigration. "That's the kind of leadership I'll bring," he says.

But as it turns out, not only is McCasky not doing his own door-to-door work, his campaign has been paying illegal immigrants to do it for him. Both The Canyon Courier and The Rocky Mountain News have the story.

First, from The Courier:

An illegal immigrant from Mexico was hired to distribute campaign literature for Jefferson County District Attorney Scott Storey and Commissioner Kevin McCasky, according to McCasky’s Democratic challenger…

…When contacted by the Courier, Manuel confirmed that his father is an illegal immigrant from Mexico. He further said that his father told him that he often worked in Colorado with other illegal immigrants, but also with Americans.

"Yes," Manuel said in accented English when asked if his father was here illegally. "There's a spot where the people gather up, and people come and pick them up to work for a day." Manuel would not give his father's name, fearing that his father would be deported.

Storey said he arranged through Mike Ciletti, a political consultant, to have the campaign literature created and distributed. Ciletti arranged a deal that included WizBang Solutions as the designer of the campaign materials. WizBang then reportedly hired Door Hangers Direct to distribute the campaign materials.

"I have no clue about illegal immigrants and delivering door hangers," Storey said. "It's not my responsibility. The responsibility lies with the company who does that."

Storey brushed off any ethical disconnects related to being a senior law enforcement officer and having illegal immigrants hired to distribute campaign materials. "I don't think we're talking about ethics here," he said…

…McCasky would not return several phone calls over a three-day period seeking comment for this story. He asked Ciletti to act as his "spokesman" on the issue, the first time McCasky has used a spokesman for any story by the Courier about the 2008 campaign.

Ciletti said Bane should inform immigration authorities if he has proof that illegal immigrants were hired. He said McCasky will change who he does business with and ask contractors who they are subcontracting with in the future.

Bane said the story is a blatant case of hypocrisy on the part of McCasky.

“For weeks Kevin McCasky has been talking about he’s going to get tough on illegal immigration, and then it turns out that he hires illegal immigrants to campaign for him," Bane said. "He’s paying illegal immigrants to distribute his literature door to door. Amazing. You couldn’t make this stuff up.”

And here's an excerpt from The Rocky Mountain News:

Kevin McCasky's Democratic rival says the Republican Jefferson County Commissioner hired undocumented workers to pass out campaign fliers.

Mike Siletti, spokesman for McCasky, said the campaign did not knowingly hire illegal immigrants.

Democrat Jason Bane's charge comes at the same time McCasky, seeking a second term, proposes to crack down on illegal immigration…

…An English-speaking relative of one of the door-hanging crew members told a Rocky Mountain News reporter Tuesday the crew member is undocumented.

Siletti said McCasky's campaign hired WizBang Solutions to print the fliers and distribute them. WizBang hired Door Hangers Direct to deliver the fliers to homes, Siletti said.

"We hired WizBang Solutions, and I have full confidence that it checks out its employees and they're not hiring illegals," he said.

Storey said he was embarrassed to learn about the "inadvertent" hiring…

…Siletti accused Bane of taking a "cheap political shot." Bane shot back, saying, "McCasky is out there talking about getting tough on illegal immigration, yet he had illegals working for him."

Kevin McCasky is only too happy to talk about illegal immigration, until he gets caught doing something wrong. Funny how he refuses to return phone calls then.

Another Week, Another Scandal

Until we change the culture in Jefferson County government by electing new public officials, it's going to be difficult to finally put a stop to this kind of nonsense. As The Columbine Courier reports:

A judge has approved the addition of County Commissioner Jim Congrove and former assistant county attorney Duncan Bradley as defendants in a federal lawsuit involving alleged wiretapping and character defamation.

Mike Zinna, a longtime county gadfly who has been involved in several lawsuits against the county, has alleged for two years that Congrove, Bradley and private investigator Daril Cinquanta, while he was working for the county, illegally intercepted Zinna’s e-mails and phone calls. Zinna says they used the materials to defame him on a website, www.coloradowackoexposed.com. Records show the site was established by Robert Cook of Lakewood, who Zinna alleges is a friend of Congrove. The site apparently was a response to the website Zinna operated skewering Jeffco public officials, www.coloradoexposed.com.

The county tried to prevent Congrove and Bradley from being added as defendants, but an Oct. 6 ruling did just that. A status conference has been set for Nov. 25 in federal court in Denver.

"Frankly we would rather have had it dismissed," said Ellen Wakeman, Jeffco's acting county attorney. "It's just a complaint. It's what he's alleging so far. Mike Zinna's allegation is all we have. So far there's been no evidence, no trial and no proof of anything."

"I think the judge's ruling speaks for itself," Zinna said. "There exists in this case substantial forensic computer evidence and sworn statements from at least seven individuals, all of whom are friends or co-workers of the accused in this case. Furthermore, a significant portion of the (Colorado Bureau of Investigation's) independent investigation substantiates the wiretapping allegations."

Jason Bane Endorsed by Jeffco Police and Firefighters

Great news! I received the endorsement of both the Jefferson County Sheriffs' Deputies and the West Metro Firefighters, making me the only candidate in Jefferson County to be endorsed by both organizations. I have already been endorsed by The Arvada Police Officers' Association. You can read the full press release below, or check out the coverage from The Columbine Courier.

LAKEWOOD—Jason Bane, candidate for the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners (District 2), announced today that he has received the endorsement of both the Jefferson County Sheriffs’ Deputies and the West Metro Firefighters. Bane is the only candidate in Jefferson County to be endorsed by both organizations.

“Like most Jeffco citizens, we’re embarrassed by the scandals and investigations that have hampered our county government for years,” said Mike Prange, President of West Metro Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #18 (Jefferson County Sheriffs’ Deputies). “Jefferson County is badly in need of new, dynamic leadership, and we believe that Jason Bane has the background, the experience and the character necessary to be a great county commissioner.”

Added Sean Jewell, Vice President of West Metro Firefighters Local 1309: “Jason has a strong background and understanding of the issues, and is ready to be a solution to the corruption and mismanagement that has affected Jefferson County.”

All candidates for Jefferson County office sought the endorsement of the Jefferson County Sheriffs’ Deputies; Bane is the only candidate running for political office in Jeffco to have received their support. In addition to support from the Jeffco Deputies and West Metro Firefighters, Bane has been endorsed by the Arvada Police Officers’ Association.

“I’m proud to have the support of the men and women who know this county best,” said Bane. “I look forward to working with our police officers and firefighters to move Jefferson County in a positive new direction.”

LAW ENFORCEMENT AND FIREFIGHTER ENDORSEMENTS FOR BANE

• Jefferson County Sheriffs’ Deputies, West Metro Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #18
• West Metro Firefighters Local 1309
• Arvada Police Officers’ Association, Local 304

QUOTES

“The fundamental responsibility of government is to keep its citizens safe, and we take that responsibility very seriously. It is imperative that we have strong leadership and support from our elected officials so that we can do our job effectively.

“We’re proud to endorse Jason Bane for Jefferson County Commissioner, and we hope that you will join us in supporting him this election season.”

- Mike Prange, President of West Metro Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #18


“After speaking with Mr. Bane we are convinced of his intellect and integrity and his firm desire to faithfully serve the citizens of Jefferson County. With his education and background as a reporter, he has demonstrated his ability to listen to diverse viewpoints and ask the hard questions when it comes to doing the people’s business.

“As you go to the polls this year we ask that you elect Jason Bane as your new county commissioner. The time has come for a new focus in Jefferson County.”

- Robert Willett, President of the Arvada Police Officers’ Association



ABOUT JASON
Jason Bane is running for the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners in District 2, although every Commissioner is elected by countywide vote. He is an award-winning journalist and longtime community activist who currently serves on the Board of the Jefferson County PTA. Jason and his wife, Julie, are lifelong residents of Jefferson County (Jason’s family has been in Jeffco for three generations); they live in Lakewood with their 2-year-old daughter, Stella, and are expecting their second child in September.

For more information, go to www.JasonBane.org.

We'll All Get What We Deserve in November

Most of us have heard the saying, "If you don't vote, you can't complain," and I've always agreed with that sentiment-but I don't think it goes far enough.

It's not enough to just vote, so I propose a new slogan for 2008: "If you don't help, then you can't complain."

The slogan comes from an interesting conversation I had this week with some politically-active friends of mine. One of my friends had attended a "Women's Caucus" event of some sort early in the week during the Democratic National Convention. She said that there were many great speeches from a number of powerful, high-profile women, but the speech that really stood out was from a woman who was a political activist, and not an elected official. Her closing words, and I'm paraphrasing, went something like this:

"On Election Day, we will get what we deserve. If we work hard, we will deserve to win. If we just cast our votes and sit on the sidelines for everything else, we will deserve to have lost."

During my campaign for Jefferson County Commissioner, I've come across a lot of people, from Democrats to Republicans and everything in between, who are dissatisfied with the way things have gone in our county in recent years. I won't get into the details here, but suffice it to say that Jefferson County government has been a cesspool of corruption and scandal for many years now. These people I talk to always tell me a variation of the same thing if they are upset with the status quo; they say that they are fed up with the problems in Jefferson County, and they say that they are going to vote for me for Jefferson County Commissioner.

I am certainly appreciative to have their vote, but I always tell them the same thing: "Thank you for your faith in me, but I need more than your vote if I am going to win."

I ask these people to volunteer their time or to make a campaign contribution, and many times they look at me as though I didn't hear them the first time.

A vote cast is one of the ultimate forms of respect and belief in a person, and I absolutely appreciate every vote I receive. But if I am going to win in November, I need more than just your vote-I need the votes of your friends, family and neighbors, and I need you to get them. I need you to volunteer to walk door-to-door with me, or to write postcards for me, or to host a house party or put up a yard sign for me. I need you to raise money for me, and write a check yourself, because campaigns-like everything else in life-cost money if you want to get the results you expect.

If you really want to see me, or Barack Obama, or John McCain, or anyone else get elected in November, it's not enough to promise to vote and leave it at that. If you don't volunteer your time or donate money, who will? You'll have to hope that enough other people are volunteering and writing checks so that the person you vote for will be able to reach enough other voters to win. Your vote is great, but thousands of other people are doing just a little bit more to make sure their vote matters.

And it doesn't take much. I've had donations of just $5, and I've had volunteers spend less than an hour helping me out. But I've also had people who refuse to even let me put a sign in their yard-the simplest request I can think of-and I think, "Don't complain if I lose." I use myself as an example here, but the message is much broader. My point is that for whomever you decide to vote for, please do more than just cast a vote (unless we're talking about my opponent-he doesn't need any help). Change doesn't come from people who vote. Change comes from people who help to make sure OTHER people vote. It doesn't have to be a full-time second job; it just needs to be more than a simple vote.

Many "Get Out the Vote" (GOTV) organizations have worked for many election cycles to get people to turn out and vote on Election Day (or by mail ballot beforehand). I think voting is more than a right-I think it is a responsibility. Thousands upon thousands of Americans have died for freedoms that included the right to vote, and we owe it to them, if nothing else, to cast our ballots every two years. We are doing a much better job in this country and in this state of getting normally apathetic people to vote, but in taking these baby steps we may not be doing enough to engage them further in the political process. People who don't vote often say that they don't think their vote matters, to which I say: It matters...if you put something behind it.

So please, make sure you vote this November (and of course, please vote for me for Jefferson County Commissioner). But in the meantime, don't sit around waiting for your ballot to arrive in the mail or waiting for November 4 to roll around. Because when we all wake up on November 5, we'll all get what we deserve. And if all you did was vote, then you don't have the right to complain.


To get what you deserve in November, go to www.JasonBane.org and get involved or make a donation.

Ken Salazar Endorses Jason Bane for Jeffco Commissioner

I received another great endorsement yesterday in my campaign for Jefferson County Commissioner. Check out the press release below:

Senator Ken Salazar Endorses Bane for Commissioner
Calls Bane “Among New Generation of Leaders in Colo.”

LAKEWOOD (August 15, 2008)—Jason Bane, candidate for the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners (District 2), announced today that he has received the endorsement of United States Senator Ken Salazar.

"Jason Bane is among the new generation of leaders in Colorado dedicated to working with fellow elected officials and citizens, regardless of political affiliation, to achieve results for their communities,” said Sen. Salazar. “Jason's platform of promoting a vibrant business community and renewable energy industry, and to restoring the people's faith in their government, is a perfect fit for Jefferson County. I am happy to endorse Jason Bane for Jefferson County Commissioner."

Bane has already been endorsed by Congressman Ed Perlmutter (D-Wheat Ridge), as well as the Arvada Police Officers Association and the majority of the legislators in Jefferson County.

“With an endless parade of scandals and budget problems, Jefferson County government is badly in need of a new direction,” said Bane. “Turning things around in Jeffco is going to take someone who can work with all of our elected officials, from city councils to the U.S. Senate. That’s the kind of leadership I’ll bring to Jefferson County, and I am proud to have the support of Sen. Salazar and so many others.”

Former Jeffco Treasurer Mark Paschall on Trial Again

The Denver Post reports on Round 2 of former Jeffco Treasurer Mark Paschall's trial for allegedly soliciting a kickback from his former secretary.

For the second time in six months, former Jefferson County Treasurer Mark Paschall is on trial for allegedly soliciting a kickback from a former top aide.

Paschall, 54, was acquitted of attempted theft in February. The jury deadlocked on a charge of receiving compensation for past official behavior, and the Jefferson County district attorney's office decided to re-try Paschall on that charge.

In opening statements Tuesday, prosecutor Sean Phillips said Paschall offered an $18,000 bonus to his political appointee, Kathy Redmond, shortly before he left office in late 2006.

Paschall twice solicited Redmond to split the "ridiculous-sized bonus" with him, Phillips said.

Redmond testified in the first trial that she reported the alleged offer to Jefferson County Commissioner Jim Congrove, who notified District Attorney Scott Storey.

Last month, Congrove asked Storey to drop the charge. Storey refused.

Paschall's attorney, David Lane, said the case is about political payback, not a kickback.

"At no time did he solicit a kickback," Lane told jurors.

Congrove and Paschall were political allies from when both served in the state legislature, Lane said.

When Paschall was elected Jefferson County treasurer in 2002, he made Congrove a political appointee in his office.

Lane said a "major blowout" occurred between the two men when Congrove, who was elected commissioner in 2003, became angry when Paschall would not reveal his testimony to a grand jury that was investigating Congrove. The grand jury failed to reach a decision.

I've been walking neighborhoods throughout Jefferson County since January, and people are (justifiably) tired of this nonsense. I'm running for Jefferson County Commissioner to help put a stop to this incestuous culture of corruption that had turned Jeffco government into a veritable circus. We need elected officials who are more interested in the business of running the county than in playing their own political games with each other.

Help me to make this change by voting for Jason Bane in November. In the meantime, please sign up to volunteer, to take a yard sign, or to make a donation at www.JasonBane.org.

Elect Jason Bane Outraises Every County Candidate

This is great news. Thanks to hundreds of great supporters, we really have the momentum in this campaign. Take a look at the press release we sent out yesterday:

LAKEWOOD (July 23, 2008)—Jason Bane, candidate for the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners (District 2), announced today that his campaign raised more money in 2008 than any other candidate for county office in Jeffco.

The committee “Elect Jason Bane” reported 300 individual donors and $37,445 raised in just under six months (Bane began raising money in February 2008), which is more money than any of the other candidates running for County Commissioner.

“I’m thrilled with the amount of money we were able to raise in such a short period of time, but I’m most proud of the fact that more than 300 people contributed to my campaign,” said Bane, who noted that 125 contributions were for $50 or less. “My contributions come from hundreds of Jeffco residents who are eager for a new direction in Jefferson County, not in a handful of big donations from developers and landowners.”

Bane’s 300 donors in six months are more than his opponent, Kevin McCasky, raised in the entire year when he first ran for commissioner in 2004.

Last week Bane received the endorsement of Congressman Ed Perlmutter, and he has already been endorsed by the Arvada Police Officers’ Association.


ABOUT JASON
Jason Bane is running for the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners in District 2, although every Commissioner is elected by countywide vote. He is an award-winning journalist and longtime community activist who currently serves on the Board of the Jefferson County PTA. Jason and his wife, Julie, are lifelong residents of Jefferson County (Jason’s family has been in Jeffco for three generations); they live in Lakewood with their 2-year-old daughter, Stella, and are expecting their second child in September.

For more information, go to www.JasonBane.org.